The present invention relates to a device for retaining a magnetic head for writing or reading information into or out from a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic card, and in particular to such a device which allows the magnetic head to tilt and to move vertically so as to achieve a close contact with the margnetic recording medium.
To the end of accurately writing or reading information into or out from a magnetic recording medium with a magnetic head, it is desirable to have the magnetic head make an intimate contact with the magnetic recording medium along the width thereof (or along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the motion of the magnetic recording medium) over the whole width thereof.
To achieve such an intimate contact at all time, it is necessary that the magnetic head may freely tilt about an axis parallel to the motion of the recording medium since the magnetic medium may deflect as it passes along the detecting surface of the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium may have some initial deformation, and that the magnetic head may freely move vertically with proper downward biasing force so as to accommodate the thickness of the recording medium and to maintain a close contact therewith.
Additionally, the positioning of the magnetic head must be accurate at all time since data is recorded in the magnetic medium over a narrow track and inaccuracy in the positioning of the magnetic head may cause reading or writing errors.
In other words, the retaining device must be flexible in its tilting and vertical motion but must be rigid otherwise.
Furthermore, in view of the fact that such a magnetic head is often used for finacial transactions, for instance in a cash dispenser, the retaining device for the magnetic head must be highly durable and must have a very high level of reliability.